With summer just around the corner, we wanted to find the best amusement parks and water parks, as well as the best theme park hotels, restaurants and entertainment. So, we invited theme park experts and travel writers to join our editors in selecting the nominees for the 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards. For four weeks, readers were then invited to vote for their favorites. The results are in.
Click on each category below to see the full winners list.
Best Indoor Water Park: Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark in Tannersville, Pennsylvania
Aquatopia at Camelback Resort in the Poconos boasts 125,000 square feet of water-filled fun, featuring seven pools (including a wave pool), 13 slides, an adventure river and a water play structure with nearly 100 gadgets and interactive elements and a 1,000-gallon dumping bucket. A highlight for thrill-seekers is Storm Chaser, one of the longest indoor, uphill water coasters in the U.S. Visitors looking to simply relax can work on their tan year-round, thanks to Aquatopia’s transparent roof.
Full list of winners: Best Indoor Water Park »
Best New Theme Park Attraction: Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando
This Orlando theme park opened its first launch roller coaster this year, and it will take your breath away. Ice Breaker provides plenty of airtime with two forward and two backward launches, including an insane reverse launch into a 93-foot spike – the highest vertical drop in Florida – with a 100-degree angle. The track is 1,900 feet long with a top speed of 52 miles per hour.
Full list of winners: Best New Theme Park Attraction »
Best Outdoor Water Park: Aquatica Orlando in Orlando, Florida
SeaWorld’s first and most popular water park, Aquatica Orlando, draws 1.5 million visitors per year while seamlessly integrating sea life into rides. Its signature attraction, Dolphin Plunge, is an enclosed tube slide that passes through a pool of playful, black-and-white Commerson’s dolphins. Guests can also take a leisurely raft ride down Loggerhead Lane, through colorful exotic fish. Aquatica’s South Seas theme is further enhanced by 60,000 lush, tropical plants covering its 60 acres.
Full list of winners: Best Outdoor Water Park »
Best Rollercoaster: El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure
This wooden roller coaster in Jackson, New Jersey is known as “the bull” for its powerful and shaky train. It’s also one of the tallest and fastest wooden roller coasters in the world. But this is no ordinary wooden coaster; it’s built with some of the highest-tech engineering, which contributes to a totally unique, old-school-new-school experience.
Full list of winners: Best Rollercoaster »
Best Theme Park: SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida
Most famous as a marine zoological park, SeaWorld Orlando has made a name for itself in the world of high-octane thrill rides as well, including Manta – one of the only coasters of its kind in the world – and Mako, a hyper coaster with deep dives, high speeds and thrills aplenty. Young visitors can now walk down Sesame Street and interact with their favorite furry friends.
Full list of winners: Best Theme Park »
Best Theme Park Entertainment: Celtic Fyre: Live Irish Step Dancing at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Celebrate the Celtic tradition of storytelling through dance at this incredibly popular, high-energy show at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that will have you laughing and clapping to the beat of festive music. Animals native to Ireland make appearances and audience participation provides another fun angle. Guests leave the show with a newfound or rekindled love for all things Irish.
Full list of winners: Best Theme Park Entertainment »
Best Theme Park Hotel: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa at Dollywood
Inspired by the pillars of togetherness, storytelling and family, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa offers parkgoers a welcoming place to kick back and relax in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, just minutes from the theme park. Amenities include an interactive splash pad, zero-entry pool, door-to-door transportation to the park and Dolly touches throughout.
Full list of winners: Best Theme Park Hotel »
Best Theme Park Restaurant: Confisco Grille at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
This grill offers a menu influenced by Asian, Mediterranean, Greek and other cuisines, conveniently located at the Port of Entry at Islands of Adventure. You’ll have trouble deciding between French onion soup and pad thai, pork belly banh mi or American burgers, sticky ribs and ahi tuna nachos, or other delicious options. This relaxed indoor setting is the perfect way to introduce tastes worldwide to family members of all ages.
Full list of winners: Best Theme Park Restaurant »
Congratulations to all of the winners! Remember to visit 10Best.com daily to vote in our Readers’ Choice contests.
